My Personal Learning Network

Classroom 2.0 Badge

For this component the requirement was to build a Personal Learning Network (PLN).  Personal learning networks  or PLNs have been around as long as there have been teachers and students.  I’m sure Aristotle, Calvin, and Newton,  had friends, colleagues, and family that would have been considered within their PLNs.  But today with the advent of the internet and web utilities, specifically web 2.0 tools, PLNs have become nearly universal in their acceptance and use.  Social networking such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, Twitter, and the like have multiplied the ability to grasp information to enrich your PLN, providing an almost boundless capability to communicate and share information.

I began the structuring of my PLN by taking these ideas of sharing information, and communicating with people/organizations that I felt would be beneficial to me, laying them out in a mental frame work as I went.  I first looked at what I already had access to and weather that was relevant in building my own PLN.  The easiest to assess was Facebook, which I find to be a good social networking tool, but not a serious component in my PLN.  Facebook  seems to be  more for keeping up with personal, and social contacts such as friends, family, and former students.  It’s a great way to unobtrusively grab snapshots out of people’s lives, keep updated and share social information without becoming too bogged down in day to day affairs.  With that said I do not believe it a good professional network, so I relegate it to a subcategory of my PLN for social networking but not serious interaction for communicating within the professional scope of an educator.

The next form of networking that I already had access to when starting to build my PLN is LinkedIn.  Prior to starting my pre-requirements in pursuit of teaching credentialing I had already had a LinkedIn account and found it a viable recourse for the use of posting my own, and finding professional profiles of experts in fields I was interested in.  It does have the ability to follow groups, one such group I follow on LinkedIn is the Teacher’s Lounge.  The Teachers Lounge helps you network with other teachers from around the world, allowing you to share information and ideas with colleagues that hold similar interests and concerns.  I also follow several school districts and a few education specific groups such as Core Education & Technologies Limited.   Overall I find LinkedIn to be a good addition to my PLN for interacting professionally with contemporaries, but mostly on a resume level, it’s great for providing information on one’s self,  such as certifications and qualifications, a good reservoir for that level of interaction. 

 Facebook and LinkedIn were the only two PLN’s I had any exposure to prior to starting Technology in Teaching, since starting this course, and working through this PLN assignment I’ve broadened my portfolio significantly.  The first PLN that I began to use is Diigo,  I built my account in EDUC 422a but continued to use it even after the required assignment I found it a good way to track and update my research.  Through tagging and adding a quick description I was able to compile and organize important links in one clear and concise area, furthermore I found that the ability to share these links was very helpful not only with working on projects for myself but to share things outside the relevance of the classroom.   I will continue to use this site and look forward to being able to use it in relation to my own pedagogy as I can compile websites along subjects that I’d like to share with my students, providing additional resources beyond the classroom.

The next component of my PLN is the use of feedly.com to organize and track RSS feeds that I find relevant to my pursuits as an educator, allowing me to keep up with a multitude of blogs organized and presented in one place.  I found this site very useful, and seemed to become engrossed more often than not in the information that I could track access and digest while on feedly.com.  Some of the RSS feeds that are significant to my PLN are Education (NPR.org), Free Technology for Teachers, and the TED education feed.  I also subscribe to some news essentials such as the BBC world news, and The Guardian.  After building this account I found that instead of surfing the TV for news in the morning, I’d get up grab my coffee and check those RSS feeds that I was currently following on feedly.com.  In doing this I not only saved time but I was able to find pertinent information  without having to sort through the non essential, or  normal fluff.   As a result I was provided with current information and news about important subject matter that I would have otherwise had to spend hours looking for.  One article I found extremely interesting from March 21^st was about a new service called Geggit.  Geggit allows you to quickly gather information and feedback from students and furthermore allows you to push questions to the students electronically to their devices.   What makes this application different from most other similar applications is that Geggit allows you to collect a variety of data share it and download it in a spreadsheet format, providing statistical feedback.  This article was one of many that I found through my use of feedly.com which has provided me further insight into the current trends and issues in education today.

Another aspect of my PLN, and something which I was not to excited about starting is my Twitter account.  My first exposure to twitter was seconded hand and I thought of it as a way for people to throw out quick little sayings like digital graffiti.  But with that said, and with the requirements of the course I took the plunge and built my Twitter account.  After a few weeks of using Tweeter, even putting out a tweet or two, I still find that most of what’s on Twitter is much like graffiti.   In saying that I will state that after figuring out hash tags and searches for information and issues I was interested in, I was able to filter out much of what I did not find informative, and was able to find the silver lining.   What I’m referring to is not only being able to follow people in the world of education such as Carol Burris, or  Lisa Dabbs, but also being able to follow the issues that are effecting education today.  One I feel that is the most easily recognizable is that of the implementation of common core standards.  With a quick search I was able to find both protagonists and opponents for common core.  By following their tweets I find I am able to listen to both sides of the argument and form my own opinions.  Furthermore I am able to gather information provided and complete my own fact checking.  Other feeds that I’ve found myself following are U.S. News Education, and Education Week, both provide some good insight.  One take away from using Tweeter as part of my PLN is that it was more the start of the process of information gathering and interaction not an end of itself.

The last component that I explored was Ning Groups, these digital discussion forums are made up of communities of people interested in similar topics.  For my part I joined both Classroom 2.0 and The Educators PLN.  I found them both to be great interactive tools I especially like the Forums, blog posts, and discussions, plus the ability to search information.  All of these different avenues provide a continual stream of information for educators to build on their own teaching styles and resources.  I found the groups to be informative and very capable providing articles, discussions and blog posts on classroom management, web 2.0 tools, teaching styles, individual pedagogues,  teaching styles and lessons learned just to name a few.  These groups  are made up of teachers and educators, with the express purpose of helping fellow teachers succeed in engaging students for success.  The Ning Groups are a wonderful asset for anyone’s PLN tool kit, and I will continue to explore them as I seek my career goals as an educator.

In conclusion although I was not at first excepting of all the different aspects of my investigation in building a PLN I found that each one of them held a specific value, and together make up a very robust data network that will be instrumental in constructing and reinforcing my own pedagogy.   The overall experience taught me that there are a vast amount of resources at ones finger tips that gain help exponentially, expanding ones knowledge of the art and science of teaching.   I also feel that a PLN will be influential in understanding and implementing future requirements in education, and exchanging lessons learned with fellow educators, such as how to implement Common Core.  Furthermore I've found this to be a continuing process that must be updated and refined to get the most out of one’s PLN, and that each person’s PLN will be shaped by that individuals needs and character, for some Twitter is considered better while others would prefer Feedly.com,  As a result the conduit by which the information is gained is secondary to the information in and of itself.Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Mobile Learning (iPad usage rules)

Mobile Learning (iPad) (3/22)

Student Pledge for School iPad Use in Mr. Oliveira’s Classroom

This is my iPad. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My iPad is a tool. It is to help further my education, to help me achieve greater heights; I should master my iPad, as I should master all things that will help me achieve my goals.  

1.  I am responsible for my own actions and for the security of my possessions, I will insure my iPad remains secure, at all times, both physically either on my person or locked up, and digitally with password protection.

2.  I will not expose my iPad unnecessarily to risk, neither eating nor drinking while using it.

3.  I will be careful with my iPad and all its components, using them correctly, and storing them properly when not in use.

4.   I will use my iPad for the purpose it was given to me; I will only use programs and applications which I have been given permission to use.

5.   I will not download games or anything else onto my iPad without proper authorization by my Teacher and/or my Parents. I will also not remove anything (programming or applications) without express permission from the same.

6. If my iPad is lost, stolen or damaged due to my neglect I pledge that I am responsible for its replacement.

7. I understand that I am responsible for all content on my iPad and it can be inspected at anytime.

8. I will make sure my iPad is in good working order at all times and to include insuring I keep it charged for class.

9. I am the only person authorized to use my iPad unless given permission by my Teacher, to allow others use of it.

10. I insure that my iPad is protected at all times, keeping it in its case, and out of harm.

Students Name:______________________     Signature:____________________   Date:______________

                             (First, MI, Last)

Parents Name: ________________________ Signature: ____________________   Date: ______________

                                (First, MI, Last)

Here are the links to my Critical Review of Applications- 

Content: American History Game for 6th - 8th 

Content: American Revolution

Content: U.S. Geography

Creation: Discovery Education Techbook

Creation: Smart Office 2

Creation: StudyBlue 

EDUC- 422B Common Read--Article 3: Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning

15 March 2014

Assistive Technology

                The common read assignment for reading reflection number three, consisted of two parts, the video “Universal Design for Learning” (UDL) presented by www.cast.org,  and the article “Build an assistive technology toolkit” by Kelly Ahrens.

                The video about UDL explained the principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn and excel in the class room.  UDL further helps provide a design for creating instructional goals, methods, materials and assessments that work for all students.  Furthermore stating that there is not a single one size fits all solution but instead flexible approaches need to be instituted to help customize and adjust the classroom and lesson plans to incorporate individual needs.   The video goes on to explain the necessity for UDL is that all students lean different and think differently due to how their individual brain works.  Each student brings a variety of skills needs and interests to learning, the video discusses that this is because of how our brains perceive and function which is unique as fingerprints.  Three different parts of the Brain come into play, the Recognition Networks or “what” of learning,  the strategic networks or the “how” of learning, and the affective networks or “why” of learning.   All three work in context, and differently in each person, it is up to the educator to stimulate this triad of process and engage the students effectively in the classroom.  To do this not one type of lesson plan will cover all needs, but instead there must be a framework that covers all.   An example of this that the video uses to make its point is closed captions on TV or subtitles.  Although they might have been designed for the deaf, or for those who speak different languages they also benefit people who watch TV in gyms, couples who are on different sleep schedules, and people in crowded places who would otherwise miss the dialogue, this could be considered a multiple means of representation so that many learners have access to the information in a way that it adds to the experience instead of distracts. 

                The article by Ahrens takes the ideas of UDL and presents and adapts the principles of curriculum development that UDL through the use of technology, more specifically assistive technology (AT).   Ahrens discusses that with the use of AT and developing an AT tool kit, we can use technology to help instill “independence and confidence in students with special needs.”    Furthermore she gives examples of maintain UDL through the use of technology and an AT tool kit.  One such AT tool sited in the article is Speech Recognition, which converts the student’s speech to written word.  As I read this I realized that for me and my dyslexia a huge AT tool that I used, is something we take for granted today, and that’s spell check. Twenty five years ago spell check was cutting edge; today it’s excepted and common place and found in most any program, many of them free.  Like spell check I feel that many of the AT tools discussed in the article will go that same route, and be used by not only special needs learners, but by the majority of the student population.  Another AT tool that I support personally is eBooks, and the ability not only to down load thousands of books that are no longer copy righted for the fraction of the cost of a normal book, but also of great importance is that most eBook readers have the ability to read aloud text.   Not only does this help the vision impaired but also, English language learners, and those students with learning disabilities. 

These AT tool that Ahrens suggest bundling into a kit help support UDL and lend that independence and confidence to many students who would otherwise struggle.  With the use of these technologies learning disabled students no longer feel that school is a  constant struggle of trying to catch up to the rest of the class, instead they are a part of the class and in the “main stream” of learning.  I personally remember my Mom tape recording books, or getting books from the library of the blind so that I could read along with them, now there is audible.com.  I’m excited as I look towards the future and the use of technology to assist students with learning disabilities and look forward to using AT and UDL in my own classroom.

The article and video closely relate to a number of NETS-S standards.  The first standard, creativity and innovation, is expressed by changing and adapting the curriculum to be inclusive of all types of learners the article and video showing both imagination and modernization in the use of technology.   The next standard I feel that is represented with UDL and AT is standard three researches and information fluency, the article expresses that teachers have the ability to research and implement AT within their classrooms, giving their students fluency in the use of said information provided by the AT.   Furthermore with the use of these tools a student not only become fluent in the use of the technology but in what the assistance was for in the first place, an understanding of the curriculum and lesson plan thus engaging the student in the classroom.  Lastly standard six, technology operations and concepts applies.  While teachers integrate AT into their classrooms to aid the student’s ability to perform productively, the students in turn show their understanding of the concept and function of that technology.

Ahrens, K. (2011). Build an assistive technology toolkit.  Learning & Leading with technology, 39 (3), 22-24.

National Center on Universal Design for Learning http://www.udlcenter.org/resource_library/videos/udlcenter/udl - video0/

EDUC-422B Learning & Leading with Technology Article Response #2

                                                                                                   Friday, March 14, 2014

Computing in the Clouds

                In “Computing in the Clouds” author Doug Johnson reveals a possible silver lining to the dark storms of budget problems that schools face today and in the future.  That benefit in the budgetary concerns of infusing technology into our schools is the cloud.   More specifically cloud computing which is a metaphor that represents computing that relies on applications and file storage that resides solely on a network, that being either  a local-area network, district network, or the Internet as a whole.

                This article quickly caught my eye as for years I was somewhat adverse to the idea of cloud technologies, most of which had to do with the nature of my job and the inability to access the internet in some of the locations that I worked.  But as I start to learn and use this type of technology more day to day now that I no longer have the before mentioned restrictions I can quickly see the benefits  for education that Johnson expresses in his article.   Take into account some of the advantages listed; because the files and programs used are not stored within the computer, the local computer does not need to hold much on its hard drive, with this freeing up space it can run faster and need and use less memory.  In other words it can be smaller, and more portable.  Furthermore because all information and programs are stored on the web work can be accomplished anywhere, weather in the class room, at home, or somewhere in between on a multitude of different devices.    Another point that Johnson brings up is that unlike most computer based programs that come with a high price tag such as Microsoft Office, Adobe, or Photo Shop, most web based applications offer somewhat robust programs, which are both productive and free. 

                As an educator I pulled from this article that for relatively low cost and high productivity school districts can equip their students with inexpensive computers to access the cloud.  No longer will schools need big work stations, and computer labs or expensive software.   The computers, weather net-books or iPads are interchangeable as it is not the computer which holds the information; it only provides the access to that information.  Also information sharing becomes seamless, with the use of applications such as Google docs.  This I found to be extremely useful as it reinforces some of the current lessons we as educators have learned in EDUC-422A and B.   With that said Johnson also discusses the uses for not only student interaction, with lesson plans, fellow students and teachers, but he also discusses the attributes of having school-specific tasks on the cloud.  This I had not thought of prior to but the ability to put gradebooks, reporting systems, communications and other administrative tools on the cloud seems extremely beneficial.

                With the benefits Johnson also voices some concerns, such as a possible of being charged for these services in the future, as an answer he states that  it is a slim possibility but most companies that provided these service make their revenue in two ways, advertisement and by offering more robust versions of most applications at a subscription cost.   Another concern that I had mentioned before was internet access and or outages, but with the majority of the applications you have the ability to work offline and when the disruption in service is fixed they applications will automatically update themselves.    The last two concerns mentioned are security, and privacy.  As to security to date there have been fewer compromises to cloud type environments than there have been to IT services.  With privacy most applications claim that you own the information and data that you store within their sites.  With that said nothing is either one hundred percent secure or private.

                In the article Johnson does state that there are some hurdles that will need to be overcome.  These include school policies, parent’s acceptance, reliable and adequate and secure wireless infrastructure.  Furthermore and most notable for individual educators is insuring the teachers have the training and resources to implement a forward thinking strategy that is inclusive of these ideas to improve  the students learning and engage them continually in the learning process.

   

                I found this article very insight full and as stated previously found it representative of my own experiences with the cloud.  The ideas set forth in this article will be beneficial to schools, educators and students, expressing an inexpensive way to bring technology into the class room,  most studies show that students use some type of technology or social media up to six hours a day outside school, and on average 15 min a week in school.   I would like to see that become more balanced and productive with schools leading in technology use instead of lagging behind. 

                This article does not directly relate to the NETS-S, but does relate to the following NETS-T.  2 Design and develop digital – age learning experiences and assessments, as the author discusses developing technology-enriched learning environments, and designing and adapting relevant learning experiences, incorporating digital tools and digital resources.  

Johnson D. (2009/10). Computing in the clouds.  Learning & Leading with Technology. 37 (4) , 16-20

http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200912#pg18

EDUC-422B Learning & Leading with Technology Article Response #1

Friday, March 14, 2014

Learning & Leading with Technology Article Response #1

What? Wikipedia in History Class?

            In the article, "What? Wikipedia in History Class?" Jeremy Boggs discusses the use of Wikipedia beyond just reading or referencing it, be that good or bad.   Boggs takes the students through the process of research editing and publishing of an article on Wikipedia.   Furthermore he requires the students to research and write the article for Wikipedia to “become more responsible digital citizens.”  

            When I first read the title I was considerably skeptic, Wikipedia as a reliable research tool?  Then as I started reading I fathomed how Boggs was not just trying to use it as a research tool, but as a lesson in producing quality factual research, and publishing it correctly using Wikipedia as the media for this process.  He considers it one of his most successful assignments, using it to teach the students the differences between quality “fact-only” writing and a more methodical or analytical writing style.    In developing  their articles the students have to research the topic compiling at minimum of 500 words, plus footnotes, and references both from books and at least two external websites hyper linking each, along with links to other Wikipedia pages.   Coupled with this the students have to use proper formatting throughout along guidelines provided by Wikipedia.  While reading this I got the feeling that if anything Boggs was working two fold, first a lesson for the students and second providing articles that were well written, formatted correctly, and factual to Wikipedia.   With this thought in mind I started to wonder how factual could one consider Wikipedia?   It seems when comparing it to say Britannica it is only slightly less accurate, Britannica averages approximately 2.92 mistakes per article while Wikipedia is at 3.86.  (Study: Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica)

            The second requirement of the students is to monitor and improve their articles, the most interesting point here for me was that the goal is to improve the article, and to fight and insure it is not “flagged for deletion”.  I found it significant that they had to not only publish but maintain ownership of their articles throughout the semester and complete the assignment with a 500 word reflection on the process, and views on Wikipedia.

            Boggs stated he choose to assign the students a Wikipedia article for three reasons;  to learn how to do research, to develop a new view of Wikipedia, and lastly to learn the difference between fact-only and analytical writing.  Overall he stated to reach these goals took a bit more work on his part but was well worth the pay off.  He found that it was much more meaningful for the students to contribute to a greater public accumulation of knowledge, than it would have been for them to write a term paper in the traditional since.   Furthermore he hoped that it help them reach out in a more global environment of learning.  This last part resonated well with me and by the end of the article I was less of a skeptic, having a better understanding of the teacher’s purpose to the lesson.  Along with this I started to think how I could incorporate this into my own classroom.  Possibly not only having the students work to publish articles in an online forum such as Wikipedia but also have the look at articles published and research to see if those articles are factual, and well written or if they need to be edited for content.   I applaud Boggs’ innovative ways to not just think outside the box, but by using technology he takes his students outside the realm of ordinary, and boring, and giving them ownership of their work.

            With that said this article relates directly to the following NETS-S.  NETS-S  1 creativity and Innovation,  Boggs’ uses existing technologies to improve the quality of the students engagement in the lesson through a creative and innovative idea of making the student go beyond the simple and take ownership of the process.  NETS-S 2 Communication and Collaboration, through publishing on Wikipedia the students are directly communication and collaboration on a global scale.  NETS-S 3 Research and Information Fluency, Students are required to research and publish sound and will formatted information.  NETS-S 5 Digital Citizenship, as stated previously one of Boggs main goals is to make the students more responsible digital citizens.  Lastly NETS-S 6 Technology Operations and Concepts, through publishing on Wikipedia the students must become familiar with the technological operations and concepts necessary to write, publish, format, and participate in an online and ever changing forum.   In conclusion I believe that the ideas presented within this article can directly benefit both the teachers as an example of innovation in learning, and the students as an ever more engaging way to learn.

Boggs J. (2010/11). What? Wikipedia in history class? Learning & Leading with Technology. 38 (4) , 32-33

http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201012#pg34